Finding Her Voice Between the Pauses
Imãn Ayisha, a 22-year-old Namibian writer and actor, discusses her experience living with a stutter and how it has shaped her creative perspective. She is currently studying linguistics with the goal of becoming a speech therapist to help others with communication challenges.
Why it matters
The story provides a personal look at overcoming disability-related barriers and the importance of inclusive communication in creative fields.
Imãn Ayisha Says Stuttering Never Silenced Her
Silence has never meant that Imãn Ayisha (22) has nothing to say. Sometimes, it is simply space between her words.
The writer, producer and emerging actor has lived with a stutter since she was about six years old. Yet the pauses in her speech have never stopped her from standing in front of an audience or doing what she is passionate about – storytelling and creativity.
The two sides of her life complement each other. Stuttering may affect how she speaks, but has never limited her ability to think, create or tell stories.
If anything, it has made her more conscious of the power of words and the importance of making people feel heard.
“They allow me to engage with storytelling from a different perspective. I think they strengthen one another,” she says.
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